[ericksmi]

We harvest about 80 acres of dry beans for direct sale each year. Last year, when our old bean combine gave up, we finished by direct harvesting with a JD4400. I don't think we can continue with that machine due to potential seed damage. So, we are thinking of an IH 1440- supposed to be gentler than a JD.
Anyone have experience harvesting beans with a 1440 or other CIH combine?

Some 1440s are advertised with a specialty reel. Is that important?

Any great advantage to spending the extra money to go to a 1600 series?

Thanks

 

[mx270a]

specialty reel? Does that maybe mean a pick-up reel instead of the old bat reel design?

-Lance

 

[dan]

or does that mean specialty rotor? i know someone who uses a 1440 for white beans, small reds and blacks. he seems happy with the job that the machine does

 

[ericksmi]

Soory, I meant to say "specialty rotor"

 

[cityboy]

I had a 1440 for 10 years and combined both white and coloured beans each year. I now have a 1644. They both had specialty rotors and both did a reasonable job in combining them. We had a Massey 410 before we got the 1440. It would split too many when the beans got dry. With the 1440, I could still keep the splits under 2% with 12% moisture in the beans. We always pull our beans before combining.

With a specialty rotor, I think a 1440 would do a good job for you.

 

[arcticcatfarmer]

We had a 1440 for about 10 years and always had good luck in dry beans. If you are only doing 80 acres there really isn't any advantage to a newer 16 series. You can get by with a standard rotor, but a specialty is preferred. It makes more difference if there is any green straw or humid conditions. We used to run about 200 acres through our 1440, they were pulled and windrowed and could do probably 40 acres a day. You will probably want a rock trap and straw chopper too. If you are not familiar with Axial Flow's they are not standard. In our area the Axial Flow is the preferred combine for dry beans. Hope this helps.

Also there are a few threads further back on this site with some other info.

 

[idaho]

that is bs, we harvested alot of dry brans in Idaho with JD CTS back in the mid 90's. we had 99% germ. The case IH guys will tell you JD's won't do beans and its crap. save the money and the 4400.

 

[HighDesert]

If you go with the Case IH, my experience doing pinto beans is that the specialty rotor is a must over the standard. The standard rotor cracks too many beans and isn't worth "beans" in any sort of tough conditions. You will gain a lot of capacity with the specialty over the standard.